Island



W. NOBLE STEERING WHEEL BRAKE original Filed May 7, 1920 shems-sheei W. NQBLE STEERING WHEEL BRAKE Origin al Eiled May '7 l920 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet W. NOBLE STEERING WHEEL BRAKE Original Filed May '7,

Oct. 1, '1929.

W. NOBLE STEERING WHEEL BRAKE original Filed May 7. 1920 @.Vshatsheet 4 /IIIIIILYIIIII @l of A @Mmmm IIIIIIIIAVIIII lll ' 4 s Jiavevvor" Y Mre7v /o Z e 'mmf Oct. 1', 1929.

W. NOBLE STEERING WHEEL BRAKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed May 7. 1920 Oct. 1, 1929. w. NOBLE STEERING WHEEL BRAKE Original Filed May 7 1920 6* Sheds-Sheet 6 Patented Oce-'1, 1929 WARREN Nonna4 orfrnovIDENcE, RHODE Sistem), AssIGNoit iro. WILLIAM H; THORN- LEY AND'wa-RRENWNOBLE, or PROVIDENCE nHoDE ISLAND, TBUST'EES Y porting either persons or goods, driven by 'any motive power whatever and upon which the` applicationpfbrakes maybe desirable to some designs of cars or trucks which are at;`

simultaneously toward opposite sides.

Wheels thus moved or turned for steering are check the"speed. Most motor 'vehiqles are' steered by turning the front wheelsflateral1y,-

although in some types and' makes the near Wheels are turned forthispurpose;` while tacliedas trailers to motor vehicles are steered by turning'both the front and rear wheels The considered for the purposes of this specication as the steering road wheels ofthe v chi'cle, whether they are the front wheels or the rear wheels, and'whetherfound in anv automotive Vehicle, or--one which is adapted to be pro'pelled by external force.

sons which have noconnection with the pres- In'al-l of the types of vehicle .now 'under `consideration, the -steeringMroad Wheels are mounted upon separate and individual pivots which',- for the purpose of this description, will be considered as vertical, although usually such pivots are somewhat inclinedfor special rea .ent invention. 'In the following specification' I will for brevity refer-to the pivot or axis 'about which a steeringr road wheel of the l vehicle is turned for the purpose of steering, as the steering pivot; and that term, Whereever itis found without qualifying terms, is to lie-understood as having the meaning thus assigned to it.

-For many reasons it is desirable that the pivoted steeringwheels of such vehicles as 4 are here considered should be equipped with brakes. The brakes for such wheels should be so arranged that whenapplied or set to exert -retarding effort they will not cause a drag resistant to the steering movement of the wheels, and further that they may be applied equally in whatever may be the momentary position of the steering wheels orthe rate of change of such Wheels fromone posi- Aiiblicaubn mea May 7, 19.20, serial No.

379,4;37. Renewed February 18, 1.928.

tion Vto another. l AThe constructions lheretofore devised of Vbrakes for pivoted Wheels have-frequently employed universally jointed'systems of links andleverjs. Such constructions have been unsatisfactory and even dangerous through failure to contain the essentialcharacteristics last` above stated, since many errors result both from the j ointing'of such system to the vframe of the vehicle and from the lateral movement of the pivoted wheels.

fore set forth it has been my purpose to de- `vise a brakemounting forpivoted Vehicle Having'regard to the conditions hereinbesuch axis; and further by transmitting the actuating force fol" the brake eXtensor through means which avoid universal joints of any and` all'orders, and are not affected lby shifting of the wheel. The essential principles of the invention, having the characteristics last above noted maybe embodied in various forms, by'which the actuating pressure may be applied, respectively, either by I nechanical means, or by fluid pressure, or by electrical means. The drawings here furnished'for illustration .show f orms ofthe invention utilizing each of these types' of means. In the drawings,

f Figures 1 and2 are sectional views taken in a plane parallel tothe wheel rim and in an axial plane, illustrating one form of the invention. embodying mechanical actuating means.

Figures 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating another form of mechanical means, and

Figure 5 is a sectional detail View taken on a horizontal plane designated by the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

ing two other forms of'luid pressure actuating means for the same purpose f force to thefbrakeextensori 'Y i5' ls'alneor corresp'ondingpa-rts in all the'ligures.

\ pivot. Pivot 21 issubstan car construction. f For `the purpose's'offthis 55 specification it willbecalled -the-"Fsteering in an axial plane, illustrating iluid pressure means for actuating the brake nextensor. Figures 8 and 9'are ax1al sections illustrato -sh'owing apiston arranged to obtain the same- 10 result under predominant external pressure.

Figures 10 and-.11 -are sectional Aview s "of4 the free lends ofboth brake shoes, and acting the nature previously 'explained illustrating an electrical means` for, applying actuating Like reference .characters designate-the In these drawings I have shown asthe brake elementsproper a standard and conventional "foi-rn. of brakel drum and cooperating brake shoes used with automobiles..- 'In each of the.

figures, except 5,*a brake -drumfis'indicated at 12, and the complementalbrake shoes at 13 and14. The brake 'drum is 'secured to the lwheel 15 coaxially thereof, as indicated ing-f the axial-sections. lThe brake shoes occupy theinterior of the drum, together subtendin` Y I nearly` the entire circumference thereo ,They are pivoted by a pin 16 to a bracket arm l' 17 which extends downwardly, in v the forms shown in Figures 1, 2, 8, and 9, and upwardlyin the ormsshown in'Figures 3,4,1-6,v 10-, and

l 11, from theknuekle'lS which car-riesthe stub axle20-whereon the wheel'isfniounted. The scope in which I claim protection'forthe indrum, and cooperatingshoefor band, capable -for .actuating said extensor, in accordance with the princi-ples hereinafter explained, .is

within the scopeI ot'suchiofmy. appended claim as ,arenot 'otherwise clearly restricted.;

21 his' the pivot' byf'which the stubk axle knuckle is connected to thestationary rigid axle 22 of the vehicle. '-'Thefpart designated as 'theaxle 22 typiesany-part of the -such as a bar, bracket, andiso forthg, t the ,steering wheel may 'be connjete by a ti ally blnearl'ygyertical, enabling-the steering wheel to be turned horizontally to one side orthe other, but `rni have suchl lldivergence 'from an exactlyve tical positionas required by standard-"1n pivot; and the stub axle 20 will b 'e '.calledthe s'teering axle.` In distinction'froin the steer ing pivot, the pin l16 previo'i'slyidescilgedzmu 60 Steering pivot is secured in the axler bracket -1 22 by a transverse key pin 2 3.. Y: 1

Referring more particularly now ofthe ventionis notjin'tended .tube-limited to the details of the brake, forrany orm'of brake vehicle,

o mechanism@ axially in the steering pivot, the latter being made as a sleeve to accommodate it. The'extensor isV adapted to exert applying elort to theA brake shoes, doing so through ,a' toggle and the socket in which it enters arelocated in the axis of the steering pivot andvform .a swivel joint inthe brakeapplyingmeans which permits theapplying effort to be cxtion or movement of the steering wheel.

'y the side of the extensor plunger are cut l "lfa''rseries .of rack teeth 33,I and-meshing with jsuch tee'this `a pinion 34 on ashaft which `occupies a bearing secured in any convenient and suitable manner to the axle 22, and

4carries an arm 36. This 'arm'.may be connected with a rod, link, or lever forming part o-a brake-'applying system of any desired sort. Obviously the brake-applying system manner corresponding to aniintention on the `vp'art of the driver to apply the brake, the pinion 34 will be rotated to raise the extensor plunger and so `force' the brake shoes against ,thedrum'.; 'griAs vthe"bearing forthe pinion 311 and its .+shaft is .mounted on a fixed and relatively stationary'part of ,the vehicle, the system of rods, levers, 'or other means for working the brakes'mayzbe'of the .same s ort as used with ng wheels offmotor cars-and need universal joints', nei th "itldisaro te ingymovela ve-'moveranged "theslightest by Afh nient' of the wheel. 'The entir mentire-Wrath" bre wie e emes mbv@- lelyl 'anfangular moveement Whatfel, and typifiesv any? g knuckle :Lier turning form of' means this purpose. 're is repres nte( Figures 3, 4,11/

erted with equal effect regardless of the'oposi- Willibe so arranged that when moved in the modification jfvtliefnlechanical brake mech- --anism just described'adapted to 'aform of relying resents the stub axle secured.v to the wheel, 38 and 39 are the bearings therefrfand 40 isa sleeve or hub holding said bearings and made al part of the steering pivot 21. Since the 'steering pivot turns in tlie'lixed axle, the recess in its Iside through which theplunger.- iactuating gear segment 34 (equivalent'to the pinion 34) passes is widened-angularly. Ex-

cept for the differences above noted, and the facts thatthe steering arm 37 is connected -to the sleeve and that the entire brake 'mech" anisin is reversed as to its -vertical arrangement, the present modification is identical 'with that previously described.

Figures 6 and 7 show a form of pressure.- actuated brake .extensor in which the .atmos-A pheric pressure is availed of to furnish the Aapplying force through the agency of a collapsible chamber in which a more or less complete vacuumis produced. the steering pivot opposite to the brake cx# tending' toggle is enlarged to form a head 41 to which is connected one end ofa hermetically closed corrugated tube 42, similarlyA connected at its `opposite end t a head 43 con" nected with the extensorplunger 241. 'The `lieads 41 and 43|-with the corrugated tube 42 form acollapsible and extensible chamber of,

the type coinnionlyknown as a sylphon bellows. Tl'ie interior of this chamber is. connected by a port 44 and a pipe 45 with any suitable suction means whereby the gaseous contents of the collapsible chamber may .be

exhausted. When applied to a motor car hav-- ing an internal combustion engine, the eduction pipe 45 may be coupled 'with the intake manifold of thel engine; while with other, or any, types of vehicle a special pump may' be provided for that purpose. The sylphon belvlows construction here shown typities any col-- lapsible chamber having opposedwalls, lone of which is movable toward the other by external atmospheric pressure greater than the` force tending to hold such walls apart. A

- cylinder and piston may be substituted for the bellows chamber, in essentially the saine way that the cylinder and piston shown in Figure- 9 is a substitution for the bellows chamber,

' nected at one end to a head 4l on the steer-- of the toggle linkage. A pipe 45 conducts the actuating iuid through this chamber.

ing pivot and at the other end to a head 47 which takes the place of the extensor plunger shown-in thepreviously described forms, and acts directlyv against the center block 27 .l 'Such luid'may be oil taken from the forced' Here the4 end. of`

feedi iub'rigtiiig stem and delivered im' the extensor cham r-46 by the pump pro-l vided to force lubricant into vthe enginebear- 1 ings, orit may be compressed air, or any other lirxi'luid o r gas put under pressure by any n ieans, w ether automatic or impelled'bythe muscu- A lar power of the driver'. Otherwise, and except 'for' the fact that thesteering pivot-is solid instead of tubular, this embodiment of the invention-is' substantially identical with.

'those previously described.

Figure 9 shows a'cyli der 49 and piston 50 as means equivalent to the sylphon chamber shown in Figure; the pistn being arranged tov bearagainst the toggle center block 27. There is also shownaguide stem .51 passing .froinfthe'pistonv through the axial bore of the steering pivot, such stern being provided, ,on

account of the short length of the piston, to.

prevent cramping ofthe latter within the cylinder. This cylinder is lrepresented as an integral part of the steering pivot, but it may Vbeotherwise connected thereto. Subf stantially this cylinder and piston, with which the piston, reversed'so as to work under pre-l dominant external pressure, may be substituted for the collapsible. chamber shown in Figures 6 and 7, the guide stem 51 in that case of' Figures 6 and 7. i Such Vmodification and substitution is illustrated in Figure 9*.

' Finally .there is shown'in-Figures l0 and 11. .an electromagnetic means for doing the same work. There isv secured, integrally or o therwise, to the 'steering pivot sin iron housing 52 in which there is contained a solenoid orelecbeing extended to function asthe plunger 24a tromagnetic coil`53 The extensorplunger A 24 is in this case made of non-magneticmaterial, and carries on its end a soft ironcore 5,4

which, when the brake'is relaxed, is so far out of the magnet coil as to be subject to displacef.

ment by the lines of magnetic force when the magnet-is energized.1 A cover 55 is preferably mounted on the coil housing to* enclose yandprotect the core., In other respects the modificationv last described is essentially identical with those previously described.

explanation that every embodiment of my 'invention includes the essential characteristie of a means orgextensor forapplying a brake against a-braking surface .connected with the wheel, which extensor is located in or on the steering pivot of the Iwheel coaxiallyl with such pivot, isino'vable in the line of suc in that line; that the-actuating force for the extensor, whether such force is mechanical, liuid pressure, or electrical, actsA upon the extensor in the same'line; and that the intermediate parts which transmit the force of `the extensor to thebrake are engaged with the extensor in the same axial line and with a pivotal engagement. This pivotal engage-V ment localizes the relative movement 'which It will be appreciated from the foregoing pivot, and exerts force upon the brake l voccurs between the wheel, when lit is turned,

and the forcetransmitting means, in this axis exclusively, whereby there is no linear dis placement of such means occasioned by theturning` of the wheel; whilef as the force transmitted throughl Said pivotal engagement is substantiallyfin-the'axis Ai`tself,'no apprewise displacejltlie force-transmitting means.

ciable torsional' stress-tends to twist or other- Hence the -brakefapplying eiort is equal, and

theextent o f-inbtion'of the control mean`s`v operatedby the-driver is the-same, whatever may betheglateral position of the steering wheel at the time of lapplying the brake, and regardless of Awhether 'such wheel ris being shifted at the time or not; n drag resistant to the' steering movement of the wheel is exerted by the brake-applyingmeans, and the entire system by which: force-is transmitted from die drivers actuating o r controlling means is of simplecharacter and not liable to get out u of order. In the particulancase usingmechanical transmitting means, universal joints are unnecessary andthe only jointsneeded may be simple pivots; andiin the fluid pressure 'transmission 'means the4 piping may be 4made without s lip joints or stuffing boxes and therefore hermetically sealed. f

, notherfeature common to all formSiOf the invention-here illustrated lis that; the.

bracket Y17, which'supportstthepin or pinson which the brake shoes arepivoted, is located next to the. wheel, andoutside ofthe brake shoes. Thisfbrack'et is therneans or structure which resists-'the application of torque on thebrake shoes bythe brake drum. It isthe torque resisting structureof the brake assemblage, This term, torque resisting structure may be considered Aas a generic 4term 1n- -cluding all'structures having the same pur- 1. -pose and function as. thebracket .17, whether A' l'specifically like or'unlike the variousfforms.

.and arrangements 'of bracket shown Ainthese l drawings. Otherwise -statingl the lrelation which exists between this Structure, the brake shoes andthe wheel, it may be said that. the

torque-resisting structure is substantially in a plane between thev brake shoes and the i wheel.- The advantage which follows from this arrangement is that the brake shoes vmayv be stripped from within the brake drum .with out need of removing. the wheel, All that is necessary to be done isto remove the pivot 16, or release any other equivalent means which may be provided to support the brake s hoes, and then withdraw the shoes from the lopen -side of the brake drun'.' lhfe s wivel engagement between the toggle linka e and the extensor plunger enables them to e dis# from the axle.

The brake shoes, being thendisengagedfrom one another at the ends which weremoun'ted on the pivot pin, offer 'no obstacle to removal engaged from the latter 'Without-diiiicult-y."

; The particular form of brake here shown, I,

arranged and combined with toggle links 4 for transmission of the applying pressure, is a useful and .desirable feature on account ofthe fact that` it enables substantially uniform .pressure'to be applied throughout almost the 'entiresurface of the brake drum by simple.v

means.

vWhile Iclaim -this Afeature as part of my invention, I do not exclude from the scope of my. protection other .-fo'rms of brake which are or may be capable of combination with an extensor arranged and acting in the line `of the steering pivot. axis having a pivotal engagement in such line with the brake.' One 'consisting -of two brake shoes symmetrically detail'here shown which may obviously be clIanged-witl1out departure from the invention, is that of pivoting both brake shoes on 'the same anchor pin. Separate anchor pins mayv bel'furnished for the individual.`brake shoes if desired.A l

'.O'ne form of the invention, containing' the basic principle herein explained, is shown and claimed in my'prior al'jplicationv for atent entitled Fluid pressure brake system or' au Number 358,822. The present is a continuation as to all common subject matter-'of the vtomobiles, filed February 1-6, 1920, Serial with a longitudinal series ofn teeth on the plunger and arranged to move the plungerinthe line of said pivot and to exert force through the plunger upon the brake.

whereof ,I have aliixe'd my 'In testimony Si nature.

g VARRENy NO'BLEQ 

